1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a heart valve prosthesis.
2. Description of Related Art
A heart valve prosthesis of this type is known from German Pat. No. 37 01 755 C1. The known heart valve prosthesis is provided with a valve ring, the inner surface of which constantly narrows along its entire length in the flow direction. At least one closing member is pivotably supported in this valve ring. The closing member consists of a pivotal flap provided with journal pins along the rotational axis that are supported in recesses in the inner wall of the valve ring.
There is a danger with heart valve prostheses that thrombi may be formed in dead water areas occurring in the region of the journal pins of the closing members. For this reason, case has to be taken that no blood corpuscles can settle in the recesses or at the journal pins. Another problem occurring with heart valve prostheses in which the diameter of the valve ring varies in the flow direction, is that the closing members on the one hand, should tightly close the opening of the valve ring in the closed position, but should also be pivoted to the open position without jamming. Heart valve prostheses are known in which the rotational movement of the closing member is simultaneously superimposed by a translational movement. Such a combination of rotational movement and translational movement is not possible with valve rings having a diameter which varies in the flow direction, because this would impair either the nonjamming property or the tightness. However, if the journal pins and the corresponding recesses are of cylindrical shape, corpuscles will settle in the annular space existing therebetween, which gives rise to the forming of thrombi.
It is an object of the invention to provide a heart valve prosthesis that allows a non-jamming movement of the closing body, while providing a tight sealing in the closed position, and in which the journal pins execute movements in the recesses whereby the blood in the recesses is wiped out upon every movement of the closing member.